Golf ball putting cup

ABSTRACT

A synthetic turf cap for golf ball cups for use in enclosing the upper open ends of golf ball cups on the greens of golf courses so as to change the location of the cup area being used in order to avoid undue wear on the green due to traffic, and also to facilitate the changing of the cup locations and to avoid the brown-out usually encountered when a disc of natural green is transplanted in the cup area. The disclosure also relating to adjustability of the synthetic turf cap so as to allow adjustments in elevation as well as grade inclination in order to match the natural turf on the golf course green.

United States Patent [1 1 Brisendine Mar. 11, 1975 GOLF BALL PUTTING CUP Primary ExaminerGeorge J. Marlo [76] Inventor: Lynam S. Brisendine, 1901 W. 3rd St, Mesa, AI'IZ. [22] Flled: 1974 A synthetic turf cap for golf ball cups for use in en- [2l] Appl. No.: 432,804 closing the upper open ends of golf ball cups on the greens of golf courses so as to change the location of the cup area being used in order to avoid undue wear "xg fggg gf 3 3 on the green due to traffic, and also to facilitate the [58] Fie'ld 273/34 176 178 changing of the cup locations and to avoid the brown- 273/177 6 out usually encountered when a disc of natural green is transplanted in the cup area. The disclosure also re- [56] References Cited lating to adjustability of the synthetic turf cap so as to allow adjustments in elevation as well as grade inclina UNITED STATES PATENTS tion in' order to match the natural turf on the golf 3,693,979 9/l972 Koett 273/195 A course green 3.772.841 11/1973 Barak et al 273/34 B 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] MARI H975 sum 1 or z PATENTEUHARI 1 1% sum 2 m 2 FIG.5.

GOLF BALL PUTTING CUP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION On golf courses, the foot traffic converges on the greens and when a golf ball cup is left in a given location for any length of time, the foot traffic wears the grass around the cup and it is necessary to change the location of the cup quite often in order to avoid wearing paths in the grass around the cup.

The usual procedure is to cut a vertical hole in the turf and change the position of the cup and then to out another piece of natural turf and place it on compacted dirt in the hole and level with or flush with the natural turf on the green. Accordingly, the disc of turf which is transplanted tends to change color and sometimes turns quite brown. Additionally, it has been necessary to move the locations of the cups very often during a tournament or during certain seasons and such maintenance work is quite expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises a synthetic turf cap for golf ball cups whereby several cups may remain in position on a golf course green and the synthetic cap on one of them may be removed to allow play into the respective cup so that the problems of transplanting natural green are obviated.

On each green, according to the invention, several cups are properly located so that traffic may be dispersed by rotating the open position of one of the cups covered by a synthetic turf cap of the invention, and in this manner the transplanting of natural green as well as the cost thereof is obviated. The invention also comprising a novel means for adjusting the elevation of the synthetic cap of the invention as well as its inclination so as to match the elevation and the grade of the natural turf surrounding the cup. The invention comprises several means for adjusting the synthetic turf cap of the invention comprising relatively rotatable wedge shaped discs as well as plates having a pluarlity of adjustable screws supported in the golf ball cups in various ways. These devices for adjustably supporting the synthetic turf caps are all readily placable and removable relative to a conventional golf ball receiving cup.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple synthetic turf cap means for golf ball cups on golf course greens to simplify the diversion of traffic from one area to another without the usual problems of transplanting natural green and the attendant costs thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very simple synthetic turf cap for golf ball cups which may be readily placed in the upper open end of a golf ball cup or readily removed therefrom as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a synthetic turf cap for golf ball cups which may readily be adjusted to provide elevational and inclinational adjustment of the upper surface of the synthetic turf on the cap so as to match the elevation and the grade of the natural green surrounding the synthetic turf cap of the invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a vertical sectional view through a conventional golf ball cup showing a synthetic turf cap means vide for elevational as well as inclinational adjustments of the synthetic turf relative to natural turf on the golf course green;

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view taken from the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modification of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view taken from the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of a further modification of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 1, but taken from line 66 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, a conventional golf ball cup 10 is provided with the usual radial struts 12 located inwardly thereof and supporting a conventional ferrule 14 which is adapted to support a conventional flag pole shown fragmentarily by broken lines 16. The conventional golf ball cup is provided with an upper open end 18 in which an annular flange 20 of a disc shaped member 22, the disc shaped member 22 is provided with a peripheral portion 24 on the flange 20 which frictionally engages the inner sides 26 of the cup 10 for holding the disc shaped member 22 in fixed position there, but provides for removability thereof as desired.

The disc shaped member 22 is provided with a thin edge 28 at one side thereof and a relatively thick edge 30 at the opposite side thereof constituting a wedge shaped disc structure which has an inclined upper surface 32.

Engaged with the upper surface 32 is a lower surface 34 of an upper turf supporting plate 36. This plate 36 is provided with a thin edge 38 and a thick edge 40 thereby constituting a wedge shaped disc structure complemental to the wedge shaped disc structure 22.

A bolt 42 extends through respective openings 44 and 46 in the disc shaped members 22 and 36. The bolt 42 is provided with a head 48 recessed in the upper portion of the turf supporting plate 36.

Spanner wrench openings 50 in the upper surface of the turf supporting plate 36 are adapted to receive ends of a spanner wrench as indicated by broken lines 52 in FIG. 1 of the drawings, for rotating the turf supporting plate 36 relative to the disc shaped member 22 so that the wedge shaped structures of the two plates provide for inclinational adjustment as well as elevational adjustment of synthetic turf 54 secured to the upper surface of the turf supporting plate 36.

It will be understood that rotation of the plate 22 relative to the cup 10 and also rotation of the plate 36 either singly or in combination will result in elevational and inclinational adjustment of the synthetic turf 54 to match that of the natural turf as indicated by broken lines 56 in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

In the modification as shown in FIG. 3, a disc shaped member 56 is provided with a peripheral flange 58 adapted frictionally to engage the inner wall of the cup 10 at its upper open end 18. The plate 56 being provided with internally screw threaded bore portions 60 in which adjustment screws 62 are screw threadably adjustable. These screws 62 extend through bore portions 64 in a turf supporting plate 66 and are restrained axially by means of shoulder elements 68. Thus the adjustment screws 62 cannot move axially with relation to the plate 66, but may rotate in the opening 64, and due to their screw threaded engagement with the plate 56 these screws may adjust the turf supporting plate 66 elevationally as well as on an inclinational basis since some of the screws may be adjusted to a higher elevation than others, there being a total of four screws shown as illustrated best in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

Supported on the upper surface of the turf supporting plate 66 is synthetic turf 70 having an upper level adapted to match the upper surface of natural turf 56. It will be seen that the screws 62 are provided with heads 72 disposed in recesses in the upper portion of the plate 66 and that these screws are accessible through the synthetic turf 70 for adjustment of the elevation as well as the inclination of the turf supporting plate 66.

In the modification, as shown in FIGS. and 6, the conventional cup is the same as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, together with the struts and the flag pole holding ferrule l4.

The modification shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 utilizes a.

plate 74 holding internally screw threaded elements 76 which are bifurcated at their lower ends 78. The bifurcated portions each fitting over one of the struts 12 of the cup 10. It will be seen that each bifurcated portion 78 is provided with a pair of leg portions 80 and 82 which straddle an upper edge portion 84 of one of the struts 12.

The plate 74 holds the screw threaded nut structures in fixed position and the bifurcated portions 78 support the plate and the entire assembly vertically while externally screw threaded adjusting screws 86 are vertically adjustably screw threaded in internally screw threaded bore portions 88 of the internally screw threaded fixtures 76.

Upper end portions of the adjusting screws 86 are provided with heads 90 disposed in recess portions 92 in a turf supporting plate 94, and shoulder portions 96 on the adjusting screws 86 bear against a lower surface 98 of the turf supporting plate 94 to prevent axial play of the screws relative to the plate 94.

The screw heads 90 are accessible through the synthetic turf 100 supported on the upper surface of the plate 94 and the screws may be individually adjustable there being three of the screws 86 and thus providing for inclinational as well as elevational adjustment of the plate 94 to match the level and the grade of the natural turf as indicated by broken lines 102 in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

In use the invention may be located on several positions on a golf course green, and while there may be several cups 10, only one of the them will be open and the remaining ones will be enclosed by the synthetic turf cap as hereinbefore described in its various forms.

When it is desired to redirect or relocate the traffic to the cup being used on the green, the open cup may be enclosed by one of the synthetic turf cap structures of the invention, and thereby opening another one of the cups so that the traffic on the green may readily be rerouted, it being noted that simple adjustment of the upper turf supporting plate of the invention may be accomplished in any manner as hereinbefore described or by any suitable means which allows for the adjustment of the elevation of the synthetic turf as well as the inclinational adjustment so as to match the level and the grade of the natural turf.

It will obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention alleviates all of the problems of transplanting natural turf and the browing thereof as well as the cost and time consumed in maintaining and changing golf ball cup locations on the golf course greens.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a synthetic turf cap for golf ball cups used on golf course greens, the invention comprising: a golf ball cup having an open upper end, a cap on said upper open end; first means on said open end of said cup for supporting said cap at said open end of said golf ball cup; said cap having a plate disposed in close proximity to said upper open end of said cup; synthetic turf on said plate; and second means for adjustably supporting said plate relative to said first means; said second means disposed to provide elevational and inclinational adjustment of said plate relative to said first means, thereby permitting alignment ofsaid synthetic turf relative to natural turf on a golf course green surrounding a golf ball cup thereon.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein; said first means comprising a wedge shaped disc having an annular portion engagable with an upper open end of said golf ball cup; said plate being a wedge shaped disc structure; said second means being a wedge shaped disc structure of said plate; and a pivot member disposed centrally of and rotatably connecting said first and second means to allow relative rotation of said plate and said first means and rotation of said first means relative to said golf ball cup.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said wedge shaped plate of said second means is provided with an annular shoulder portion adapted to fit frictionally tight in said upper open end of said golf ball cup.

4. The invention as defined in claim I wherein: said first means comprising a support member removably supported on said golf ball cup; said second means comprising a plurality of adjusting screws; said plate being generally disc shaped and having bearing portions in which said screws are rotatable and axially restrained; said bearing portions and said screws being disposed in spaced relation to each other and spaced about a middle portion of said disc, said second means also comprising a plurality of screw threaded elements in which said adjusting screws are helically adjustable; and said second means also comprising mounting structure holding said screw threaded elements stationary relative to said golf ball cup.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein: said mounting structure comprising a plate engagable with said upper open end of said golf ball cup.

6. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said golf ball cup is provided with a flag holding sleeve therein; radial struts supporting said sleeve in said cup; said mounting structure comprising a plate holding said screw threaded elements; said plate adapted to fit in said cup above said struts; and bifurcated members carried by said last mentioned plate; each bifurcated member straddling one of said struts to hold said last mentioned plate and said screw threaded elements stationary in said cup.

7. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said support member of said first means is provided with an annular shoulder portion adapted to fit frictionally tight in said upper open end of said golf ball cup.

8. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said wedge shaped disc of said second means. 

1. In a synthetic turf cap for golf ball cups used on golf course greens, the invention comprising: a golf ball cup having an open upper end, a cap on said upper open end; first means on said open end of said cup for supporting said cap at said open end of said golf ball cup; said cap having a plate disposed in close proximity to said upper open end of said cup; synthetic turf on said plate; and second means for adjustably supporting said plate Relative to said first means; said second means disposed to provide elevational and inclinational adjustment of said plate relative to said first means, thereby permitting alignment of said synthetic turf relative to natural turf on a golf course green surrounding a golf ball cup thereon.
 1. In a synthetic turf cap for golf ball cups used on golf course greens, the invention comprising: a golf ball cup having an open upper end, a cap on said upper open end; first means on said open end of said cup for supporting said cap at said open end of said golf ball cup; said cap having a plate disposed in close proximity to said upper open end of said cup; synthetic turf on said plate; and second means for adjustably supporting said plate Relative to said first means; said second means disposed to provide elevational and inclinational adjustment of said plate relative to said first means, thereby permitting alignment of said synthetic turf relative to natural turf on a golf course green surrounding a golf ball cup thereon.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein; said first means comprising a wedge shaped disc having an annular portion engagable with an upper open end of said golf ball cup; said plate being a wedge shaped disc structure; said second means being a wedge shaped disc structure of said plate; and a pivot member disposed centrally of and rotatably connecting said first and second means to allow relative rotation of said plate and said first means and rotation of said first means relative to said golf ball cup.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said wedge shaped plate of said second means is provided with an annular shoulder portion adapted to fit frictionally tight in said upper open end of said golf ball cup.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein: said first means comprising a support member removably supported on said golf ball cup; said second means comprising a plurality of adjusting screws; said plate being generally disc shaped and having bearing portions in which said screws are rotatable and axially restrained; said bearing portions and said screws being disposed in spaced relation to each other and spaced about a middle portion of said disc, said second means also comprising a plurality of screw threaded elements in which said adjusting screws are helically adjustable; and said second means also comprising mounting structure holding said screw threaded elements stationary relative to said golf ball cup.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein: said mounting structure comprising a plate engagable with said upper open end of said golf ball cup.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said golf ball cup is provided with a flag holding sleeve therein; radial struts supporting said sleeve in said cup; said mounting structure comprising a plate holding said screw threaded elements; said plate adapted to fit in said cup above said struts; and bifurcated members carried by said last mentioned plate; each bifurcated member straddling one of said struts to hold said last mentioned plate and said screw threaded elements stationary in said cup.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said support member of said first means is provided with an annular shoulder portion adapted to fit frictionally tight in said upper open end of said golf ball cup. 